Meet The IPS Officer From Telangana Who Saved Thousands From The Clutches Of Human Traffickers

An IPS officer from Telangana, Mahesh Muralidhar Bhagwat, has received an award from the US Department of State for his fight against human trafficking in India. He is currently working as the first Commissioner of Police for Rachakonda, a year old commiserate.

Each year, the US Department of State is known to acknowledge the work of people across a variety of professions for their commendable efforts in fighting the menace of human trafficking. They can be anyone – from NGO workers, lawmakers, police officials to everyday citizens who have walked that extra mile for curbing trafficking in humans. These are the people who remained undeterred from their mission in spite of various hurdles that they had to face.

Bhagwat has been listed in the 2017 Trafficking In Persons (TIP) Report Heroes that was released on June 27 by the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, US Department of State. He is the third Indian IPS officer to be presented with this award.

He has demonstrated extraordinary commitment and has been a dedicated fighter against human trafficking since 2004. Bhagwat has participated in anti-trafficking operations that have saved the lives of hundreds of victims from horrific situations of trafficking. His innovative and highly effective approach to investigate and unveil trafficking operations has fetched him many accolades.

The US Department of State report, “He has pioneered the use of legal provisions to close sites where human trafficking is known to occur. Under his command, Rachakonda police closed 25 brothels-five hotels and 20 residential apartments in less than a year and participated in one of the largest crackdowns on labour trafficking in the country, which led to the identification and removal of more than 350 children forced to work in brick kilns. In addition to being a central figure in trafficking deterrence efforts, Bhagwat also constantly pushes for human trafficking to be a top priority for the Telangana state of India.”

Speaking to The Logical Indian, the IPS officer said, “I am delighted on receiving this prestigious award – it is a recognition of the work that I have been carrying forward since 2004, initially in this state and later even beyond the borders of the state.”

Bhagwat added, “I mostly specialise in rescue operations that entail after the raids carried out by the police. Often, it is seen that the responsibility of the police ends with the raid and the immediate rescue of the victims. But I have taken a deep interest in the rehabilitation and restoration of these victims with the help of other stakeholders like the woman and child development and civil society organisations.”

Bhagwat has used his immense experience in the field to write a resource book named ‘Synergy Among Stakeholders’ which is part of a certificate course on trafficking in humans in an open university in Delhi.

He has also been a part of Operation Muskaan, that has rescued 350 child labourers from the brick kilns. “Hailing from Odisha, these kids were being exploited in those brick kilns – we saved them and ensured that they received education in their mother tongue, Oriya,” he said.

Among other heroes listed in the US report are Alika Kinan from Argentina, Leonardo Sakamoto from Brazil, Vanaja Jasphine from Cameroon, Viktoria Sebhelyi from Hungary, Amina Oufroukhi from Morocco, Allison Lee from Taiwan, and Boom Mosby from Thailand.

The Logical Indian community salutes the efforts of Mahesh Bhagwat who has accomplished a commendable job in combating trafficking in humans in the state of Telangana. The country needs many more dedicated police officers like Bhagwat who would take active steps for strengthening the law and order situation in India.

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Know Why This Small Town In Tamil Nadu Is In The Guinness Book Of World Records

Did you know there is a town at the southern tip of India that can be called ‘Heaven on Earth’. Its people realise the importance of keeping the environment clean.

Madukkarai Panchayat in Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu, is the cleanest place in India, owing to around 50 women who wake up every day to collect waste from each and every household in the town. At 6 AM, the women set out to work with their green jackets on, hands covered in gloves and caps adjusted perfectly on their heads. Every morning they line up for the roll call. These ‘Green Friends’ are part of the solid waste management program supported by ACC Cement – Madukkarai.

Madukkarai, a small town at the tip of the country, is in the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest recycling lesson in the world. With the help of around 50 women, who are now called ‘Green Friends’, and a simple, scalable model, this town is leading the way for efficient waste management. #SwachhBharat

While most of us find someone to put the blame on, Madukkarai decided to take control in their own hands. The town has 8,000 households and a population of 42,000. 82% of the homes hand over garbage to ‘Green Friends’ every day. 1,440 tonnes of garbage is collected annually from the town of 18 wards and 107 streets.

There is a lot that we can learn from Madukkarai. One of the most disturbing realities that we face, despite which part of the country we reside in, is the similar dirt everywhere – garbage piled up on roadside, drains clogged with plastic bags and dogs chewing on the leftover food we have callously thrown on the streets.

We keep our homes clean; make sure that the floors are mopped every day. But why do we not share the same sentiment for our surroundings? We hardly realize that the street outside our home is as much ours as is anybody else’s. We are the ones who use these roads every day to commute. Madukkarai realized this and the importance of a clean environment for our health and well-being.

Guinness Book of World Records for the largest recycling lesson in the world

‘Green Friends’ collect household wastes in eight different bins for wet waste, kitchen waste, plastic waste, etc. This is then disposed in large bins kept in several parts of the town. Trucks pick up this waste daily and take it to the resource recovery park where the garbage is recycled.

The treatment center segregates the different types of wastes. The kitchen waste is converted into fertilizers and given to farmers at extremely low prices to use in cultivation of their crops. The plastic waste is processed to be used in the construction of roads, and also at the large ACC factory where it is used as fuel at high temperatures which does not even cause pollution.

Due to the efforts of ‘Green Friends’, the citizens of Madukkarai, and the municipality, there has been a 60% reduction in landfill waste over the span of three years. There has also been a 50% reduction in the vehicle movement to the landfill sites, 85% of organic waste is converted successfully into vermin compost, ample reduction in the use of fossil fuels, reduction in greenhouse gas emission to 60%, and substantial decrease in the spread of malaria and dengue among the people. Furthermore, barren lands provided for compost yard have been successfully converted into fully functional organic compost yard and non-recyclable waste is used as an alternative energy source for the cement industry.

Madukkarai’s citizens have also become more environment-friendly, with 30% of the households segregating the organic-recyclable waste at home.

What we can learn

Madukkarai has paved the way to the sustainable development of our world. They have shown us that is not impossible to keep our environment clean. All we need is to inculcate in us a concern for mother Earth. It is commendable that ACC is supporting Madukkarai in its venture and helping it stay clean.

We, as citizens of other towns, cities, villages and states in India, have a lot to learn from Madukkarai. We too can have a healthier life if only we care enough and practice our civil duties proudly.